Totaling 5.81 million head, the breeding inventory was up 1 percent from last year and up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, totaling 60.8 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, and up 3 percent from last quarter.
The June-August 2011 pig crop, totaling 29.1 million head, was up 1 percent from 2010 and up 1 percent from 2009. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.90 million head, down 1 percent from 2010 and down 2 percent from 2009. Sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.03 for the June-August 2011 period, compared to 9.81 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.10 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
During the September-November 2011 quarter, US hog producers plan to have 2.87 million sows farrow down slightly from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2010, and down 1 percent from 2009. Intended farrowings for December-February 2012, at 2.86 million sows, are up slightly from 2011, but down 1 percent from 2010.
The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with more than 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 46 percent of the total US hog inventory and was up from 43 percent last year.
